Free-to-Air: Opening Hockey to the Nation
The 24/25 season marked a transformational step forward for hockey’s visibility in England. For the first time in many years, international hockey moved from behind a paywall to national free-to-air access, ensuring that anyone, anywhere, could watch England’s teams compete on the world stage.
Beyond the Broadcast
This approach is about more than just broadcasting matches. By combining live free-to-air coverage with digital-first storytelling and youth-focused content, we created a more open and inclusive way for people to experience the sport - reaching audiences far beyond traditional hockey fans and inspiring the next generation of players.
The Impact in Numbers
Across the 2024/25 season, 32 England FIH Hockey Pro League matches were broadcast free-to-air, including 12 matches played in London, with a further 10 matches during the 2025 EuroHockey Championships.
- Exceptional Engagement: These broadcasts delivered over 700,000 live views across Channel 4 platforms, with England’s London fixtures alone attracting 205,000 unique viewers. On average, each match had 13,000 live views, with fans staying engaged for an impressive 26.5 minutes per broadcast, generating more than 83,000 hours of live viewing across the season.
- Exponential Digital Growth: Alongside the live coverage, our digital strategy significantly expanded the sport’s reach. Hockey content generated 37 million video views across the season, including 13.5 million during the London campaign period alone. Social media engagement exceeded 250,000 interactions across TikTok, Instagram, YouTube and Facebook, with 65-70% of viewers coming from non-followers, demonstrating that the sport is increasingly reaching new audiences.
Together, these results show that the move to free-to-air is working. We are on track to reach 50 million content views across the three-year broadcast partnership, setting a new benchmark for visibility, accessibility and inspiration for hockey in England - and ensuring more people than ever before can discover and connect with our sport.
At a Glance
- 32 England FIH Hockey Pro League matches broadcast free-to-air
- 12 international matches hosted in London
- 10 EuroHockey Championships 2025 live matches broadcast
- 700,000+ total live views on Channel 4 platforms
- 205,000 unique viewers for England’s London matches
- 13,000+ average live viewers per match
- 26.5 minutes average watch time per broadcast
- 83,300 hours of total live viewing across the season
- 37 million digital video views during the 2024/25 season
- 13.5 million digital views during the London campaign period
- 250,000+ social media engagements
- 65–70% of content views from non-followers, reaching new audiences
Experience the Action
Don't miss a moment of the journey. Head over to our official channels to catch the latest highlights, behind-the-scenes stories, and live match alerts.
Channel 4 Sport YouTube
